Mechanical toy



May 20, 1941. w. T. KNIESNER MECHANICAL TOY Filed April 1'7, 1937 INVENTOR Patented May 20, 1 941 MECHANICAL TOY William T. Kniesner, Larchmont, N. Y., assignor or one-fourth to Madison Dallas Pickens, Meadville, Pa.,

and one-fourth to Francis D.

Stephens, Washington, D. 0.

Application April 17, 1937, Serial No. 137,511

18 Claims This invention relates to mechanical toys and more particularly to self-propelled toy vehicles or conveyances.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a practical, inexpensive and easily operated mechanical toy. Another object is to provide a mechanical toy that is actuated by a spring motor in which the latter may be easily, conveniently, and with little effort tensioned or wound up. Another object is to provide a spring motor operated mechanical toy which a small child may easily operate and the spring of whose motor can be wound or tensioned in easy increments or stages requiring only such small force or strength that small children can fully enjoy such toys. Another object is to provide a toy of the above-mentioned character that will be strong, durable and of reliable action and to provide it with mechanism that can be embodied in inexpensive but strong and lasting construction and in a manner to facilitate ease of manual operation or actuation. Another object is to provide a toy having an operating mechanism embodied therein of the spring motor type, with a simple, dependable and easily operable arrangement for winding the spring motor, thus making it possible to do away with conventional winding keys and their disadvantages, and, more particularly, to provide a toy which in configuration simulates some object and which may have its spring motor wound simply by ,flexing or deforming, preferably in a suitable munber of strokes, a deformable portion of the toy configuration. Other objects will-be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims In the accompanying drawing the single figure shows in side elevation, with certain parts in section and certain parts broken away, one of the various possible embodiments of my-invention.

As' conducive to a elearerunderstanding of certain features of my invention, it might at this point be noted that there are many mechanical toys that embody a spring motor and which in their nature can be adequately appreciated and enjoyed by very young or small children, such as children in the range of ages from two years or so up to six or seven years, but which, because of prior or heretofore known practices, or construction, become unavailable to such children because of the inability of the latter to tension or wind the spring of the spring motor, unless, of course, an older and hence stronger person is always on hand to store ener y in the spring of the motor when the latter is run down.

One of the dominant aims of this invention is to provide a mechanical toy operated by a spring motor but constructed so that the spring of the latter can be with ease adequately tensioned by children of the above-mentioned rangeof ages.

In the drawing 1 have shown, for purposes of illustration, the mechanical toy as taking the form of a toy automobile simulating a closed type of car, such as a coupe, and having a body be actuated or driven by the spring motor resulting in a propulsion of the toy where it takes the form of a toy conveyance or vehicle.

The spring motor is generally indicated by the reference character l5 and may take any suitable or appropriate form, preferably and usually,

comprising one or more, usually two, longitudinally extending and spaced frame .plates 16 held in spaced relation by any suitable means, such as pins or rivets I1, and suitably mounted and secured within the body Ill of the toy; by or between these frame plates the various gears or gear shafts may be rotatably mounted.

Thus, for example, the frame plates i6 carry rotatably a shaft l8 to which one end of a spring, illustratively a spiral spring I9, is connected or anchored, the other and outer end of the spring 19 being anchored as by a pin 20 to a relatively large motor gear 2| which is preferably coaxial with the shaft l8 and may have a hub or bearing rotatably mounting it on the latter. Motor gear 2| is connected to the driven part or parts by any suitable driving train and by way of illustration that driving train may include a shaft 22 whose left-hand end carries a gear 23 that meshes with the motor gear 2| and whose righthand end carries a gear 24 that meshes with a gear 25 on the shaft or rear axle l2; these gears may be and preferably are bevel gears.

Secured to the shaft I8 is a ratchet wheel 26 with which coacts a spring pressed pawl 21, pivoted to the frame l6 as by a stud 28, so as to insure uni-directional rotation of the ratchet wheel 26 and hence of the shaft l8 and in a direction to tension or wind up the spring I9, the pawl 21 also acting to prevent dissipation of the energy storedin the spring through the ratchet wheel 26 and related parts.

A suitable and preferably upwardly projecting portion of the toy, preferably a part that forms a normal or usual part of the structure which the toy simulates, I arrange to be movable preferably in an up and down direction and in a preferred arrangement, where the toy takes the form of an automobile, I arrange the roof or a suitable portion of the roof 29 for such movement relative to the rest of the toy structure. In the illustrative embodiment I prefer to make the part 29 of a suitable flexible material, such as rubber, leather, or the like, and provide any suitable means, as indicated at 30, to connect it peripherally to the born; "I. Underneath the roof portion 29 and in effect forming a part thereof is a member 3| of substantial length and breadth and appropriately curved or shaped' so that, when the member 3| is heldor pressed in its uppermost position, it sustains the flexible portion 29 and maintains it in a conformation to present with the rest of the body It the normal or usual contour or appearance of the structure which the toy simulates. The part 3| may be and preferably is of sheet metal and, if desired, the central area of the part 29 may be secured to the member 3| in any suitable manner, as by an adhesive or cement, leaving a diaphragm-like peripheral or band-like portion 29 which may in such case freely flex.

To the under side of the member 3| is secured, preferably rigidly, a plunger-like rod 32 provided at an intermediate point with a transverse enlargement or shoulder having a transversely extending slot 33 and having a lower end portion 34 that projects through a suitable opening in a cross-brace or member 35 preferably secured to and between the frame plates 6 of the spring motor IS; a spring 36 is interposed between the cross-brace 35 and the shoulder 33 and acts through the latter upon the member 3| to urge and hold the latter and hence the roof portion 29 in upward or normal position. However, depression of the part 3| against the action of the spring 36 may freely take place and thus the part 293| may be reciprocated or moved up and down with ease, it being noted that the parts 29 and 3| preferably expose a relatively large area against which the child may place the palm of one hand to depress the parts, the spring 36 insuring the return to normal when the manual pressure is released, whence the process may be repeated as many times as may be necessary.

This up and: down movement is communicated to the winding shaft l8, preferably through the ratchet 26, to effect a step by step tensioning of the spring l9, but preferably by force-multiplying means which preferably take the form about to 'be described. Thus, I provide a lever 31 pivoted preferably on the shaft l8 andcarrying a springpressed pawl 38 for coaction with the ratchet wheel 26 so that oscillation of the lever 31 about its axis l8 effects a step by step rotation of the ratchet wheel and hence of the winding shaft l8.

Pivotally connected preferably at the upper end of the lever 31 is a link 39 which is pivotally connected by pin 40 to a companion link 4| whose right-hand end is pivoted as by pin 42 preferably to the motor frame plates l6. Pin 40 engages in the transverse slot 33 in the member 32.

The links 39 and 4| are preferably so proportioned with respect to the remaining parts, illustratively as suggested in the drawing, so as to form a toggle which approaches or reaches straight-line relationship of its links 39 and 4| as the part 29-3| reaches or approaches the lowermost end of its downward stroke. Also, the links are so proportioned that when the toggleis broken, as it is when in the position shown in the drawing, the lever 31 with its pawl 38 is at one extreme of its stroke of possible oscillation.

Accordingly, the operator, iilustratively a small child, as suggested above, may hold the toy with one hand, as by grasping the front portion thereof, and, with the other hand resting on the part 29-3|, gives the latter part a suitable number of up and down strokes, the spring 39 being preferably of only such strength as is appropriate to return the parts to their normal or starting positions. on each down stroke, the part 22 acting through its slot 33 on the pin 43 at the knuckle or joint of the toggle linkage 394| moves the latter toward or into straight-line relationshlp, thereby effecting a swinging of the lever 31 in counterclockwise direction and effecting a certain range of rotation of the winding shaft l3 through the pawl and ratchet 3826; but only little energy or force is required to depress the part 29-3| and that small force is translated by the toggle into a vastly multiplied force, due to the characteristic inherent action in the toggle linkage as the latter approaches or reaches straight-line relationship, and thus certainty of a corresponding winding step of the spring is achieved even though the spring be relatively powerful or still. Further multiplication may be had, as is suggested in the drawing by causing the pawl 38 to act through a shorter arm of the lever 31 than the arm of the latter through which the toggle linkage itself acts.

The parts may be so proportioned with respect to the number of turns of the winding shaft |8 necessary completely to tension the spring N that any desired number of strokes of the part 29----3| are required to effect complete tensioning of the spring l9. For example, the parts may be so proportioned that twenty or thirty down strokes of the part 29-3l suflice to bring about a complete storage of energy in the spring of the motor, but, of course, it will be understood that these numbers are but illustrative. Thus, also, the angle or angles through which the toggle links 39- swing may be varied andby appropriately selecting the ratio of the arms efiective in the lever 31, the angle of rotation of the winding shaft I3 per down stroke of the part 293|, may

be varied as may be desired.

Also, if. desired, a suitable start or stop lever may be provided and by way of illustration I have shown such a lever at 43 having a handle portion projecting through a suitable slot or opening in the toy body in, and pivoted as at 44 and provided with a tooth, or the like, 45 that can be engaged with or disengaged from the teeth of the motor gear 2| in accordance with whether it is desired to hold the gear 2| against rotation (as may be desired during the winding operation of the spring motor) or to release the motor gear to effect driving of the driven part.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided in this invention a mechanical toy in which the various objects hereinabove pointed out, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, 'are successfully achieved. It will be seen that the construction is simple but practical,

a suitable or appropriate number of increments of applied force or energy, each of which is relatively. small or within the capacity of the child. Also, it will be noted that the structural arrangement in which a part of the toy body is deformable and by the deformation of which the spring motor may be wound makes it possible to avoid exposure of parts which might become bent or broken and also to avoid .the use of a winding key, or thelike, so that there need not be any part to become lost.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A mechanical toy having a spring motor and a part to be actuated by the latter, said toy having a member capable of being manually moved back and. forth, and means including toggle means for effecting conversion of the back and forth movement of said member into a step by step storage of energy into said spring motor.

2. A mechanical toy having a body a portion of which is flexible and having a spring motor and a member operated thereby, said spring motor having a part which upon actuation stresses the spring of said motor and stores energy therein, and means relating said part for actuation in response to flexing of said flexible body portion.

3. A mechanical toy having a flexible diaphragm-like part, a spring motor and a part to be actuated by said motor, a spring-opposed member related to said diaphragm-like part and normally pressed thereagainst, thereby to partake of movements corresponding to flexing of said diaphragm-like part, and mechanism connecting said spring-opposed member to the spring of said spring motor for stressing, and storing energy in, said spring in response to movement of said member.

4. A mechanical toy as claimed in claim 3 in which said mechanism comprises force-multiplying means.

5. A mechanical toy as claimed in claim 3 in which said mechanism includes toggle means.

6. A mechanical toy having a flexible diaphragm-like part, a spring motor and a part to be actuated by said motor, and mechanism interposed between said diaphragm-like part and the spring of said motor for effecting step by step stressing of said motor spring in successive increments responsive to flexing of saiddiaphragm-like part.

'7. A mechanical toy having a spring motor and a part actuated thereby, said spring motor having a winding shaft, said toy having means capable of movement back and forth, and mechanism including one-way driving means and toggle means connecting said first-mentioned means to said winding shaft.

8. A mechanical toy having a spring motor and a part actuated thereby, said spring motor having a winding shaft, said toy having means capable of movement back and forth, and mechanism including toggle means and leverage means for connecting said first-mentioned means to said winding shaft.

9. A mechanical toy having a spring motor and a part to be actuated by the latter, said toy having an exterior made of a relatively rigid-material excepting throughout a portion thereof, the exterior of the toy being completed throughout said portion'by a relatively flexible material and hence capable of flexing relative to the rigid material of said toy, said toy having means interiorly of said flexible material and movably mounted, whereby flexing of said flexible material by the application of pressure externally thereon effects movement of said means, and connections between said means and said spring motor for storing energy in the spring of the latter.

10. In combination in a toy, motor means including energy storage means, deformable means providing at least partial enclosure of said motor means, and means responsive to deformation of said deformable means for storing energy in said energy storage means.

11. As a new article of manufacture for use as a toy, a deformable body, and motor means in said body windable through distortion of said body.

12. A new article of manufacture comprising a deformable closed body, and windable motion imparting means within said body and windable through deformation thereof.

13. A device comprising a body having at least a portion thereof deformable in response to external pressure thereon, means for storing energy in said body in response to deformation of said portion by said pressure and for moving at least another portion of said body upon release of said pressure.

14. In a toy, a body including a deformable portion, means in said body for moving at least one other portion of said body, and means responsive to deformation of said deformable portion for storing energy in said last named means.

15. A device comprising a body having at least one flexible portion, means responsive to movement of said flexible portion for storing energy to impart movement to said flexible portion, at least, upon release of said stored energy.

16. A mechanical toy comprising abody hav ing externally the configuration of the object simulated by the toy,-at least a portion of said body being deformable from its normal configuration, a motor, including energy-storing means, mounted within said body, means operable by said motor for giving motion to said body, and means including said deformable portion of said body and. responsive to deformation thereof for energizing said energy-storing means.

17. A mechanical toy comprising a body having motor means mounted therein and having externally the configuration of the object simulated by the toy, at least a portion of said body being reciprocally deformable from its normal configuration in a general direction toward and away from the interior of said body, means operable by said motor means for eflecting movement of said body, and means 'actuatable in response to reclprocable deformation of said deformable portion for energizing said motor means.

18. A mechanical toy comprising a body having externally the configuration of the object simulated by the toy, motor means mounted therein and having mechanically connected thereto a part to be actuated by said motor means, at least a portion of said body being deformable from its normal configuration, and means responsive to deformation of said deformable porticn for storing energy in' said motor means.

WILLIAM ;T. KNIESNER. 

